CBS' '2 Broke Girls' called out for vulgarity in more than 100 FCC complaints

After three seasons on CBS, the TV show "2 Broke Girls" has failed to reach the numbers producers and critics had in mind after its premiere in 2011, and the future doesn't look bright.

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By Sarah Sanders Petersen

The Leader

By Sarah Sanders Petersen

Posted Jan. 17, 2014 at 6:13 PM

By Sarah Sanders Petersen

Posted Jan. 17, 2014 at 6:13 PM

After three seasons on CBS, the TV show "2 Broke Girls" has failed to reach the numbers producers and critics had in mind after its premier in 2011, and the future doesn't look bright.
In December more than 100 complaints against the program were made public on governmentattic.org, detailing how several of the show's followers felt about the type of content they were viewing during prime time.
"The entire '2 Broke Girls' show was vulgar and profane, and I do not believe it's appropriate for prime time. ... Strong sexual emphasis and explicit language is some of the worst ever in this time slot. I have never filed a previous complaint, but this one is just too much for 7:30 p.m. on a weeknight," one viewer wrote.
Another viewer from Eustis, Fla., wrote, "I feel this is soft porn. No wonder our country is in the condition it is in when shows like this are on the air."
The comedy was originally set to air at 9:30 p.m., but this past season the show's time slot was changed to an earlier one. The FCC website describes the type of content that is not ever allowed on air, as well as content that cannot air between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
"It is a violation of federal law to air obscene programming at any time," the FCC website states. "It is also a violation of federal law to air indecent programming or profane language during certain hours."
Because of these strict guidelines, many viewers called out the content in the CBS show that did not agree with these standards for prime-time programming.
"I enjoy the show '2 Broke Girls' (CBS) but the last two episodes use unnecessary profane words," one viewer from Los Angeles wrote. "Do the writers want to break down barriers to good taste and spew coarse language during family hour? This is your job to try to keep television from becoming a cesspool and allow everyone to enjoy profane-free shows."
Neither CBS nor the FCC has made any statements about the complaints.
Dan Gainor, vice president of business and culture at the Media Research Center, said the show is just one example of how the FCC ignores inappropriate content.
"'2 Broke Girls' is proof each week that no one at the FCC cares what is going on regarding broadcast TV. If they did, they'd put the show in a more appropriate time slot, like 3 a.m.," Gainor told FOX411. "It's a nonstop bad sex joke. In one recent episode, I counted at least 14 different sex jokes. ..."
Sean Hannity with Fox News recently spoke with MRC president Brent Bozell about whether primetime standards should stay the same. Hannity argued that because cable is so accessible, people will see such content if they want to, no matter what.
"I am saying that most people have cable. And with cable you have a wide variety of options. If you have cable, you have HBO, you have any Showtime, Cinemax. You know what is out there. I know what is out there," Hannity said.
Bozell responded: "Well, let's take it to its logical extension. Why don't we then put on 'Hustler' at this time of night, and say 'you've got choices, you can go to other television stations.'
"The reason we don't do that is because we have standards. Because it doesn't matter if you have other choices, Sean, there are standards of decency. And by the way, adults shouldn't be going through this either. This is not funny stuff. This is toilet humor."
Many entertainment reviews have also called out "2 Broke Girls" for unnecessary sexual and racial content.
At the beginning of the third season, Hillary Busis with Entertainment Weekly gave her analysis of the show.
"Two years (after its debut), this series is still proudly aiming for the lowest common denominator."
USA Today also mentioned the show in a 2013 review, "TV channeled the good, 'Bad' and ugly." In the article, "2 Broke Girls" gets this brief reference: "Still on, still terrible."%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//beacon.deseretconnect.com/beacon.gif%3Fcid%3D138187%26pid%3D46%22%20/%3E